Sales of sugary drinks in hospitals will be cut to 10%

Every NHS hospital has agreed to reduce sales of sugar-sweetened drinks to 10% or less of their total drinks sales.

NHS England introduced cash rewards for those that hit the target last year, and more and more trusts have signed up since.

The latest data shows that the proportion of drinks sold on NHS premises that contain added sugar has reduced for seven months in a row, falling to just 7.4% in participating trusts in June 2018.

Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England said: “Obesity and its associated dangers is a worrying challenge facing the NHS and so it is crucial, as we draw up a long term plan for the future of the NHS, that we take action where we can to avoid a long list of preventable problems in the years ahead.”

In total, 14 leading national retailers operating from NHS premises – including WH Smith, Boots, Marks & Spencer and Greggs – have signed up to the plans. Some 23 NHS Trusts and two retailers have stopped selling sugary drinks altogether.